Even Batman Has Issues
by Marvin is my Muse
Summary: John is Batman, Dean is Robin, this is their story. Not crackfic! Kinda angsty and No Character Death! Written for Dean's birthday - sorry it's posted here so late!


Title: Even Batman has Issues

**Title: **Even Batman has Issues

**Summary: **John is Batman, Dean is Robin, this is their story. Not crackfic! Kinda angsty and No Character Death!

**Characters: **John and Dean

**A/N: Happy Birthday Dean! I know it's a day late but I figure, it's the 24****th**** somewhere in the world right? So, Dear Sweet Dean, here is my gift to you. (Of course cause it's me it's kinda angsty and your dad almost dies) Sorry! Enjoy everyone! **

It'd been a month since Dean had started talking again and four months three weeks and two days since the night he'd watched his wife burn when John sat Dean down in the motel they were staying at to tell him about the supernatural. 

Dean had watched him with solemn, haunted, trusting eyes while John, his father, his protector, stripped away the last vestiges of innocence his little boy had. Dean remained silent though John's speech and, when he finished, asked,  
"So you fight the monsters daddy?"  
"Yeah Dean" John answered, "I fight the monsters so nobody else gets hurt."  
Dean's eyes widened slightly and he leaned in towards John "like mommy did?" the words were whispered, unsure, a little boy asking where his mommy went and why she wasn't coming back.  
John swallowed the lump in his throat wishing for some liquid courage. 

"Yeah Dean." he said roughly. "Like mommy."  
Dean seemed to think this over for a minute.  
"Are you like a superhero daddy?" Dean was currently engrossed in batman and John could already see his little boy imagining John out on the streets of podunk towns, his leather jacket as his cape, the Impala as the Batmobile, himself as Robin. He smiled at the image and the awe radiating from his little boy. He should put him straight but maybe, maybe he could let him have this little thing, this last scrap of innocence.  
"Yeah Dean, like a superhero."

"First thing you have to know is, we have the coolest dad in the world, he's a superhero."  
John was dying. 

He could feel it, feel his lifeblood flowing out of him, feel the edges blurring, feel Mary coming for him.  
"Dad!"  
He could also hear Dean shouting in his friggin' ear.  
"Dad! Wake up! Dad! Dad! Come on Dad! Wake up!" Dean was terrified and John could hear it in his voice. Well, dying would have to wait, he couldn't leave his boy like that. Not to mention the kid wouldn't quit and he really wanted to die in peace. Summoning all his energy John opened his eyes. Dean was kneeling beside him, eyes frantic, his face a calm mask. John could feel his hands trying to staunch the flow of blood from his chest. 

"Dean" he tried to put authority in his voice but it came out weak and pleading, _pathetic_. 

Dean looked up, "Dad! You're going to be okay dad, don't worry, just stay with me okay?" 

John smiled softly, he sure couldn't blame the kid for trying, extra points in optimism too. John wanted to point out that a man lying in the middle of who-the-fuck-knows-where in the woods with a hole in his chest was probably not going to last much longer but he couldn't do that to Dean, also he didn't think he had enough time. Putting aside his inner Marine he dredged out the rarely-used father in him to address his son for the last time. 

"Dean" he said again, "You'll be okay... find... Sammy tell him I... love him, tell him...I'm proud of him...you'll be okay Dean...you did good." 

He really should have left it there but he could practically smell Mary, that subtle sweet sent of oranges and cinnamon and he really couldn't help it, knowing he shouldn't continue, shouldn't place yet another burden on his son's already-laden shoulders, he opened his mouth anyway. 

"Find your mom's killer Dean...You get that son of a bitch..." Dean's face crumpled, his mask not able to withstand such emotional damage all at once. 

"No dad." he whispered fiercely, "we'll find it, together, _you're_ going to be fine! Just stay with me dad...please." John heard the unsaid _don't leave me _as clear as if Dean had shouted it. He felt himself weakening further and knew he wouldn't last much longer. 

"You'll be okay Dean," he murmured. Dean's face took on a look of desperation. 

"No! You're going to be fine! Don't say that!" His voice softened, making his final plea, "You're a superhero remember? Superhero's don't give up. Batman can't just leave Robin right dad?" he tried for a smile. 

John's heart hurt and tears gathered in his eyes. This wasn't Dean the twenty-three year-old; this was four-year old Dean, silent, haunted, hurting, trusting, innocent Dean. This was that last shred of innocence, hidden away and coveted for so many years showing through. John thought it had disappeared long ago but he had obviously been wrong. Well, it wouldn't be around much longer, Dean needed to accept this, he was going to die. 

Very soon. 

Already feeling the darkness on the edges of his vision creeping in, he destroyed that last bit of innocence, 

"I'm not a superhero Dean, I'm just a hunter, just a man." Dean's face crumpled slightly before his eyes narrowed. The last thing John saw was his eldest son's face and the last thing he heard was his fiercely hissed out "What's the difference?" 

Two days later John woke up in a sterile-smelling hospital, an exhausted and dirty Dean at his side. Dean didn't speak to him for almost two weeks.

Dean was exhausted, every part of him hurt and he just wanted to lie down and crash. 

He was stuck sitting in the Impala with four year-old Clarice, the most recent victim in long string of children recently rescued by him and Sam from the Rawhead that caught her. The little girl had fallen asleep in his lap and Sam was currently online in the Starbucks across the street, getting the directions to her house. 

Clarice stirred and opened sleepy brown eyes. Catching sight of Dean she gave him a bright innocent smile. Dean smiled back, all warm inside. She climbed further into his lap and put her hands on his face, holding him still and studying him closely. He arched an eyebrow at her and pulled a funny face, tickling her sides at the same time. She collapsed into giggles, squirming and laughing in the carefree way only children could. When she stopped she was still in his lap and she looked him in the eye again. 

"Mister Dean, are you a superhero?" The question took him completely by surprise and he smiled softly, thinking of his dad. John the superhero, the mighty hunter, Batman to his Robin. He looked down into her trusting eyes and smiled again. "No sweetheart, I'm a Hunter."

**Hope y'all liked it! Go on! Review, you know you want too!**

**-Marvin**


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